


Something to Talk About

by nickelkeep



Series: Nickel's Story Time Series [29]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Awesome Charlie Bradbury, Charlie Bradbury & Dean Winchester Friendship, Charlie Bradbury & Sam Winchester Friendship, Charlie Bradbury Lives, Charlie Bradbury Ships Castiel/Dean Winchester, Charlie Bradbury in the Men of Letters Bunker, Domesticity in the Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), Fluff and Crack, Fluff in the Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), Home Automation, M/M, Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), Pranks and Practical Jokes, Sam Winchester Ships Castiel/Dean Winchester, Secret Relationship, Surprise Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22341808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickelkeep/pseuds/nickelkeep
Summary: Charlie pointed up at her ear. "You don't hear that?""Hear what?" Dean closed his eyes and rested for a moment. He realized that music played in the background and started searching for the source immediately. "Wait, is that... Is that Zeppelin playing?"Bunker, play 'Houses of the Holy,'" Charlie replied, a smirk on her face.The first few haunting notes of the Zeppelin classic started playing, and Dean's head whipped around in surprise. "Where's that coming from? Did you buy one of those damned Alexa Despacito things for the bunker?"
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Charlie Bradbury & Castiel, Charlie Bradbury & Dean Winchester, Charlie Bradbury & Sam Winchester
Series: Nickel's Story Time Series [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1431565
Comments: 30
Kudos: 312
Collections: ProfoundBond Prompt Collection





	Something to Talk About

**Author's Note:**

  * For [noxlee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/noxlee/gifts).



> Oh hey! Storytime number 29 here, with this awesome prompt from the one, the only, [noxlee!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/noxlee):
> 
> _So, when I was home over the holidays I witnessed my mom get into a fight with the google home. She would ask it to do something, and it would do the exact opposite. 20 minutes later she was standing there, all out screaming at it. "NO, GODDAMNIT I SAID LOWER VOLUME" and the volume would shoot up to max. Etc. Turns out my brother was upstairs overriding everything she said on his phone._
> 
> I mean, I know how much fun it is trolling with my Alexa, so yeah. This sounded perfect!  
> ...  
> You can find me on [Tumblr](https://nickelkeep.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/nickelwrites).

The bunker became a home for Sam and Dean, and it showed. The dust had been cleared, the messes erased, the books sorted and placed away correctly. Their merry band of misfits either called the bunker home also or were there enough that it was a second home.

Charlie was one of those misfits. Between her tech skills, learning witchcraft from Rowena, and wanting to be closer to her adoptive brothers, Charlie had been one of the first to move in with the brothers.

It wasn't an uncommon sight to see her with her feet up on the War Table, a book of either graphic or novel variety in her hands. It was also extremely common to see her working on the technology in the bunker, slowly retrofitting it and updating it.

When Dean returned from a supply run to Hastings, he was actually surprised to see Charlie working at the War Table, hunched over a notebook and scribbling away. "Heya kiddo. You're looking especially focused today."

"Yep." Charlie tucked her hair behind her ear, but did not look up from her work. "Got a good vibe going on. I think I'll be able to work out the coupled of kinks I've found."

"Sounds good, need anything?"

"A soda would be nice." Charlie paused for a moment and looked up at Dean. "You notice anything?"

Dean's eyes scanned Charlie up and down. "New hair cut?"

"No. You didn't shoot anyone while you were out, did you?" Charlie set down her pencil and focused her attention on Dean.

"No! I ran to Hastings! As much as I probably would be okay with claiming a few idiot drivers were monsters, I am relatively tame when driving." Dean winked and smiled at his own little joke. "Seriously, though, why do you ask?"

Charlie pointed up at her ear. "You don't hear that?"

"Hear what?" Dean closed his eyes and rested for a moment. He realized that music played in the background and started searching for the source immediately. "Wait, is that... Is that Zeppelin playing?

"Bunker, play 'Houses of the Holy,'" Charlie replied, a smirk on her face.

The first few haunting notes of the Zeppelin classic started playing, and Dean's head whipped around in surprise. "Where's that coming from? Did you buy one of those damned Alexa Despacito things for the bunker?"

"No," Charlie laughed. "Would you believe me if I told you that Sam and I may have made an interesting discovery while you were out?"

"I mean–" Dean pointed up to the ceiling. "–the bunker is playing music on command. Clearly, you two either are pranking me, bought Alexa, or you found something."

"We found it." Sam entered the War Room, two beers in one hand, and a soda in the other. "Sorry, I heard Dean enter, so I turned around and got him a drink too." He handed the soda to Charlie, and a beer to Dean. "I was researching warding for the bunker, and I came across the original electronics blueprint. And there was something I couldn't figure out."

"So, Sam dragged me out of bed and shoved it at me." Charlie shrugged. "I'm still not 100 percent how it works, but this is built into the bunker."

Dean held up his pointer finger as he interrupted. "You mean to tell me we've been here for like seven years or so, and we're just now discovering this?"

"Dude, I'm pretty sure there are rooms we haven't discovered yet," Sam commented before agreeing. "But yeah, we didn't need it then, pretty sure we don't need it now, but it's still fun. And here's the best part, are you ready?"

"Hit me." Dean raised his eyebrow.

"Bunker, what time is it?" Sam asked to the open air.

A very human voice responded. A very familiar voice. "It is a quarter after one in the afternoon."

Dean's jaw dropped in surprise. "Is that?"

"Yeah, that's Henry Winchester. I mean, I thought when he gave us the key, it was because he never made it here. But that's his voice. Part of me thinks he may have been stationed here. This was his base." Sam offered a sad smile. "So it looks like we still got a part of him with us."

"Well, shit." Dean sat in the seat next to Charlie, the groceries practically forgotten. "What else does it do?"

Charlie pointed at the throughway to the Library. "Watch. Bunker, power off Library lights." The lights dimmed slowly before shutting off completely. "Those are the regular bulbs that are in there. Not the ones that can be controlled via the internet. I took apart a lamp to try and figure out how it worked, but there's no Bluetooth, there's no wireless connection, there's nothing there." Charlie shrugged in wonder. "It's awesome, but needs more of an answer."

"Wait, you two have been playing with this, not knowing how it's working, and neither of you stopped to think that you might be dealing with a cursed object?" Dean rubbed his forehead in frustration. "What if something happened to one of you two?"

"We know that it is connected to the computer." Charlie pointed over her shoulder and Sam nodded his agreement. "I put my music on there to have something while I worked. How do you think it knew Led Zeppelin? Remember, this place was abandoned in '61 per the latest records you and Sam found. There's no way anyone here would have known Zeppelin."

"Okay, but you don't know how the computer hears you or how it interacts with non-tech items." Dean pointed at Charlie before looking at Sam. "You know better unless you forget a certain Rabbit's Foot."

"Dean, listen. We are by no means done researching this. We both highly doubt it's cursed, though." Sam attempted to reassure Dean. "We'll keep to the very basic commands until we figure more out about it."

Dean's face twisted into a pout before he reluctantly nodded. "Fine." He let out a sigh before speaking. "Bunker, turn on the lights in the library." He watched the throughway and a slight smile spread across his lips. "That is pretty awesome, though."

"Right? There's still so much for us to learn! And if we crack it, think of the potential we have! We could hook it up to modern news sources, set up filters, have it alert us when a potential case pops up." Charlie started rambling before Dean placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I think what we need to do, though, is set some ground rules." Dean points at Sam. "I know how you function, Mr. Winchester."

Sam points at himself. "Me? How I function? I don't know what you mean, Dean. Not at all."

"Whatever. Ground rules. No prank wars. We still don't know if this is dangerous or not, Henry's voice or not." Dean flicked up his pointer finger before raising his middle finger to indicate two. "Second, bedrooms are off-limits. Don't need to be in my room reading when all the lights go out."

"You could have said watching porn, Dean," Charlie chimed in. "We wouldn't judge."

"You wouldn't, Charlie," Sam added.

Dean shook his head. "Would the two of you listen? We also don't screw with bathroom lights. Falling in the shower would kill us. Especially Sam. The taller you are..."

"Shut up, Jerk." Sam rolled his eyes.

"No way, Bitch." Dean turned his attention back to Charlie. "Last ground rule. Under no means do we fuck with another person's music. So, if Charlie here is listening to Walking on Sunshine, let her Walk on Sunshine. If Sam's listening to Celine Dion, let him have his poor taste in music."

Charlie snorted out a laugh while Sam shot a trademark bitch face at Dean. "So, if you're listening to Taylor Swift?" Sam asked.

"You both better be running to join me in shaking it off." Dean shot a pair of finger guns at his brother. "Any questions?"

"Just the one. Since Cas isn't here right now, who's going to tell him about the system?" Sam asked. "While he's arguably the most mature of us, I wouldn't put it past him to prank the rest of us."

"I wonder where he got that from," Charlie shot a wink at Sam who, in turn, offered a fist bump.

Dean rolled his eyes. "I'll tell him."

"Alright then, now that we've got that all settled, you going to put the groceries away?" Charlie asked. "I don't want my you-know-what to be all melty."

"I have nothing against ice cream, Charlie. I just don't eat it." Sam shook his head in response.

"Bullshit," Dean stood up and grabbed the grocery bags he had sat down. "Butter Rum with Pecans. Sam likes old people flavors." Dean exited the War Room towards the kitchen.

"Really, Sam? Butter Rum?" Charlie's eyes lit up with amusement at Dean's information.

Sam sighed. "With pecans. Can't forget those."

"No judgment here, Judgey Mc Judgepants." Charlie held her hands up in defense. "So, here's what else I found out." She pushed her notebook towards Sam. "I'm not sure what it means, but whatever this is in the bunker, it is one hell of a VI."

"So, all those things you suggested?" Sam picked up the notebook. "Wait, I recognize this." His finger rested on an illustration.

"Really? You've seen it here in the bunker?" Charlie grabbed the book she was looking at and grabbed her notebook back from Sam. "Where is it?"

Sam stood up and ran his fingers through his hair before stretching. "It's in the Boiler Room, let's go."

The duo walked through the hallway and stopped in front of the Boiler Room. Charlie reached out and twisted the doorknob, pulling the door open to a pitch-black room. She looked up at Sam and smiled. "Bunker, turn on the lights in the Boiler Room." The lights came on, and she skipped into the room, Sam right behind her.

...

A couple of days later, and just as many late nights investigating, Charlie called Sam into the Library. She sat back in the chair, her feet up on the table, and a book in her lap. She looked exhausted, and Sam was glad he had the foresight to bring her coffee when he came to see her. "So, what did you find?"

"This thing is huge, Sam." She accepted the coffee and took a sip before continuing. "What I suggested that we could do, is what the Men of Letters wanted to do." Charlie held up a finger and took another drink. "And, something even more awesome? Bunker, can you please identify Castiel and tell him to come to the Library?"

"Identifying Castiel. Found. Sending request."

Henry's voice brought a smile to Sam's face. "What's that?"

"You can send private voice messages, assuming they're the only person in the room they're located in. It's like an intercom, just with your granddad delivering messages instead of speaking to the person." Charlie took another sip of her coffee and slouched deeper into her chair.

"This is incredible, Charlie. We still haven't–"

"What was that?" Cas entered the room, a look of surprise on his face. "How? What did you two do?"

Sam crossed his arms over his chest. "Didn't Dean tell you about the automation system we found in the bunker?" Cas nodded and Sam continued. "Charlie's been doing nonstop research to figure out what all it can do."

"I take it that Dean does not know about this?" Cas looked back and forth between Sam and Charlie.

"Not yet, we screwed with him already, figured we could get you with one also." Charlie shrugged.

"And I thought Dean said no pranks?" Cas glared at Charlie.

"One, not a prank. Two, save the dombrow for Dean. Three, I did actually need you." Charlie tossed her notebook onto the table. "Recognize any of those symbols?"

Cas had turned bright red for a brief moment at the mention of his brow but quickly regained his composure when Charlie tossed him her book. "I do, actually. Why?"

"Well, one of the things I've come across in of mine and Sam's research into the bunker, and into this, is that it should be upgradeable. I mean, even back in the '30s, '40s, and '50s, the Men of Letters knew that their technology could become obsolete at any time." Charlie ran her fingers through her hair, catching them on a knot. She pulled the knot forward and started working on it. "While it's not dead, clearly, we could certainly give her a facelift, bring her to the 21st century, get her online with Sam's network."

"And you think these symbols could help you?" Cas nodded in understanding. "This system runs on magic." He set the book back in front of and pointed at several symbols. "Enochian, Sanskrit, Mayan, Nordic. These are letters of the various alphabets."

Sam ran his hand down his face. "Please tell us they all at least mean the same thing, Cas."

"In a sense." Cas rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Tell me, do you know when and how this automation started working?"

"A couple of days ago. I was sitting at the War Table working on a spell that Ro sent me. I asked out loud 'What the fuck is Solanaceae–"

Henry's voice interrupted, "Solanaceae is the scientific name for plants in the nightshade family."

"Yeah, like that." Charlie pointed up, spinning her finger around. "And I went for the source."

"And I walked in on her, swearing that she was going crazy. She had me ask for the scientific name for that plant, and Henry responded without asking."

Cas stroked his chin. "And you didn't stop to think you might have been dealing with a cursed object?"

"First, you sound like Dean." Charlie held a finger up then ticked up more. "Second, we did, for a hot second. Third, it's not. Right?"

"I don't believe it is, no. But you are dealing with an interesting tangle of magic and technology." Cas picked up Charlie's pen and translated the symbols. "Good luck. Let me know if you need more help with configuring the voice."

Charlie waited until Cas was out of earshot before speaking again. "Sam. He confirmed what I already knew." She turned the book showing the translations to Sam. "It's a hybrid of technology and magic. Magic is as old as time, and we can update these wardings and other protections if we ever needed to. But the computer is still the brains, the storage. That needs upgrading and access to more than just our intraweb. We get it on the internet, it can scour newspapers we can have it find local hunters and do auto assignments." Charlie paused, her voice taking on a small tone of mischief. "It would allow you to focus on the actual hunters and give you time with Eileen."

"Same with you and Dean and Cas." Sam agreed.

"Speaking of Dean and Cas." Charlie smiled. "We would need to do some testing. Especially if I build an app for our phones."

"He said no pranking, Charlie."

Charlie bit her bottom lip. "He said, no messing with lights in the bedrooms or bathrooms, and he said no messing with music when people are listening to it. Sounds like a huge loophole he left open." Charlie put on her best innocent face and batted her eyelashes.

"You're not allowed to hang out with Eileen anymore." Sam pointed at Charlie. "Fine. What are you thinking?"

"Wanna use Henry to play matchmaker?"

Sam's jaw dropped. "Charlie. You trying to get killed?"

"I'm the little sister. He'd never harm me on purpose. We can just throw the blame on me."

"We're going to die." Sam shook his head. "But I guess it's for a noble cause."

...

A week later, Henry's voice had become commonplace in the bunker. As far as Dean was concerned, Charlie had outdone herself, and the automation systems in place with his grandfather's voice was comforting. But, like all good things, there appeared to be a catch.

The first instance occurred while Dean was making dinner.

"I mean, it's not like it's hard, Cas. It's a crossword puzzle." Dean looked over his shoulder and smiled at Cas. "What's the question that you don't know the answer to?"

"Dean, I'll figure it out." Cas sipped at the mug of tea next to him before setting it back down. He returned Dean's smile and looked back at the paper before sighing. "Fine. 'Word repeated four times in the last line of Shakespeare's _All the world's a stage_ speech.' It's four letters."

"Well, no wonder you're stumped. You haven't tried anything across or down it yet?" Dean flipped the chicken in the pan before turning around to face Cas again.

"That's the thing, those could be different answers depending on this one word." Cas huffed. 

"'Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.'" Dean responded, a smirk on his face. "I liked English class when I actually bothered to show up to class."

"You are intolerable, Dean Winchester."

"Yeah, yeah. You're welcome." Dean quipped in response. As he turned back to take the meat off the heat, music started playing. "Cas, did you ask for the music to play?"

Cas shook his head. "I didn't say anything after you said 'you're welcome.'" Cas tilted his head. "Isn't this–"

"–Thank You, by Zeppelin? Yeah, yeah, it is." Dean shrugged. "I wonder if Charlie's plugged in some easter eggs or something. Maybe I triggered it." Dean started singing along and smiling as he finished plating dinner.

...

A couple of nights later, Cas was in his room reading when Henry's voice broke the silence in the room. "Castiel, you have a message. Dean says, 'Please come to my room.' Thank you." Cas looked at the clock on his nightstand. Dean had gone to bed almost an hour prior. He let out a sigh and marked his book before sliding out of his bed and crossing to the door.

Cas exited his room and stepped into an almost pitch-black hallway. He made his way to the bedroom two doors down from his. No lights were peeking out from under Dean's door. He hesitated before knocking. A couple of moments passed by without any stirring, so he knocked again, a little harder.

A groan and grumble sounded through the door, and Cas instantly realized that his initial assumption was correct. Dean had been asleep. He dragged his hand down his face and turned to go back to his room when Dean's door swung open. "Cas?"

"I'm sorry, Dean. I knew you were asleep, but I just got a message from you asking me to come to your room." Cas looked at the floor.

"Uh, like, the bunker system said that I asked you to come to my room?" Cas watched as Dean's eyes fluttered with heavy sleep, and Cas felt a larger pang of guilt.

"Yes. Perhaps you muttered it in your sleep?" Cas silently hoped that were the case.

Dean shrugged. "I mean, maybe? I've been having weird dreams the past couple of nights." Dean yawned and leaned against his door frame. "I mean, didn't Charlie say we can figure out who sent intranet messages?" Dean walked back into his room. "Hey, bunker, who called Cas to Dean's room?"

"Dean did," Henry's voice responded.

"Sorry to worry you, buddy. I must have done it in my sleep." Dean shrugged at Cas, who had followed him into the room. "You mind if I try and get the rest of my four hours?"

"Hopefully, more." Cas turned to exit Dean's room and return to his own when the door slammed shut in front of him. "What?"

Dean walked up next to Cas. "What are the odds we can blame that on the wind?"

"What wind, Dean?"

"I didn't think the bunker could close her own doors." Dean squeezed Cas' shoulder as he walked up to the door. He tried turning the knob to find it wouldn't budge. "Cas, uh, not to doubt my own manliness, but could you come and test this for me?"

Cas walked up to the door and tried twisting the knob, coming to the same result as Dean. "Unlock it, Dean." Cas followed Dean's finger as he pointed to the bolt lock.

"My doorknob doesn't lock, Cas. I think only yours and the one for 17 actually lock on the knob." Dean pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. "There's no reason my doorknob should be stuck."

"This is stupid." Cas took a step back and lifted his foot up, preparing to kick down the door.

Dean quickly stepped between the door and Cas. "Woah, woah, woah, Cas. Hold on. You said Gramps sent you to me, right?"

"Yes, it told me you requested me." Cas put his foot down slowly and nodded.

"Hey, Henry?" Dean asked to the open air. "Is the door to Dean's room locked?"

"Yes."

Dean held up a finger. "Henry, can you unlock Dean's door?" The mechanism for the doorknob clicked.

"The door is unlocked."

Cas reached for the handle and tested it, turning it. "I guess I jumped to conclusions. My apologies."

"Don't worry about it, Cas." Dean turned and headed back to his bed. "Remember that we need to talk to Charlie and Sam when we're all awake."

"I will. Sleep well, Dean." Cas exited the room and closed the door behind him.

...

After a thorough inspection from Sam and Charlie, they determined that the situation with the door was a one-off incident, but promised to keep an eye out for anything that may have triggered it.

Dean relaxed a little and decided to spend some time working on the Impala. As he headed towards the garage, he stopped by Cas' room and asked if he wanted to bring a book and keep him company. Cas agreed and said that he'd be behind shortly.

Before long, Dean found himself surrounded by tools, head first in Baby's engine compartment. He found himself relaxing while listening to the sound of Cas turning the pages to whichever one of Dean's books he had borrowed this time. Dean felt great. He felt at peace.

He heard music?

The soft familiar tune of 'Stand By Me' started to play, and Dean lifted his head out of the engine to make sure he wasn't hearing things. "Cas?"

"I hear it too, Dean." Cas had closed the book around his thumb and was looking around. "Do you think the assistant is acting up again?"

"Henry," Dean watched Cas as he decided to shut it off. "Stop playing music." The music faded, and Dean shrugged before turning back into the Impala.

A few more minutes passed, and the music came back, louder than before. Dean let out a heavy sigh. "Cas, if it's not bothering you, I'm just going to let it play."

"It's fine. It's a soothing song." Cas replied, his attention never wavering from the book.

Dean raised an eyebrow but returned to working on Baby. He started cleaning some grime off of the side of the compartment when it started getting harder to see. 

"Uh, Dean?" Cas spoke up, causing Dean to shoot up and his head on the Impala's hood.

"Fuck." Dean rubbed the top of his head and looked around. The lights had dimmed significantly, and a new song started: 'Can't Fight this Feeling.' "Cas, what are you up to?"

"Me? I haven't done a thing. I've been sitting here reading." Cas tilted his head in confusion. "Perhaps we should go find Charlie, as it's happening again. She'll want to know."

Charlie shrugged in confusion when Dean and Cas found her in the Library. She got up and walked over to the War Room and took a look at the computer. Showing the guys that there was no activity as far as she could see.

Dean stormed off back to the garage, frustrated beyond belief. He tossed the tools haphazardly back into the tool chest, knowing that he'd have to straighten them up later, but not caring at the moment. Something strange was going on in the bunker, and it was no coincidence to Dean that it started after Charlie and Sam promised to do more investigation into the assistant system.

Dean finished wiping down Baby and closed her hood before heading out to the Library again. He had hoped to find Charlie there but instead found Cas sitting in his usual spot at the table.

Cas lifted his head at Dean's approach and pointed at the seat across from him. Once Dean sat down, Cas slid a thick file to him.

Dean flipped open the folder and looked at the first few pages, they were electrical schematics and human-made ley lines that were integrated into the bunker. He raised his head and looked at Cas, who lightly shook his head and nodded at the file again. Cas wanted him to be quiet, so Dean would be quiet.

After a few minutes, the lights in the Library started to dim, and Dean looked up to find Cas looking at him too. Cas mouthed the word 'wait' and pointed to the ceiling. A couple of moments later, 'Constant Craving' started playing, breaking the silence in the Library.

Dean licked his upper lip before biting his bottom lip and shaking his head. Dean looked at Cas and pointed to the notebook he was writing in.

Cas put the pen down and slid the book across the table.

Dean picked up the pen and wrote in the notebook, before pushing it back across the table to Cas.

_You figured it out too?_

Cas looked up after reading the question and nodded. He wrote his response.

**Charlie's a tech genius and a witch. The system isn't broken. It's being used against us.**

Dean fought back laughter as he tapped the pen against the book.

_Witch-in-training, but yeah, she could easily screw with us. Think Sam's in on it too?_

Dean pushed the notebook back across the table to Cas, who didn't hesitate to respond.

**Absolutely.**

Dean pulled back the book and chewed on the cap before writing a reply.

_Cold, or Hot?_

Cas chuckled softly and looked at Dean. He shook his head and placed the pen to paper.

**You understand what's going to happen, right?**

Dean shrugged.

_I don't care anymore._

Cas' eyes lit up.

**Then I believe the saying Revenge is best served cold, is it not?**

Cas and Dean's eyes met, and they nodded in unison.

...

Sam had warned Charlie that she might give herself away if she kept playing with Cas and Dean the way she was. She highly doubted it, as there was no trace of her sending the songs to the rooms they were in, or even her having the lights dimmed. Charlie made a point of being nowhere near the War Room when it happened. She also showed Cas how the primary system worked when he asked.

She knew Cas and Dean were crazy for each other. There was no way they weren't with all the crazy ocular intercourse going on between them. Cas would find reasons to spend time with Dean, and Dean would happily give him excuses. Dean would always partner with Cas on cases, leaving Sam to fend for himself or to partner with whoever was helping them.

The guys she cared about spent too much time together for there not to be anything between them, and Charlie knew she could fix that. Dean had confided in her when drunk that he cared deeply about Cas. And Cas, shortly after claiming him as her best friend, had admitted his love for Dean. She tried to give them the confidence to go after the other, but neither ever did. It was at the point where Charlie believed that desperate times called for desperate measures.

After using the app she made to get Henry to rig the music and mood lighting in the Library, Charlie disappeared into the kitchen. She made a pot of coffee and sat back, hoping to hear something from the boys. What she hadn't expected was the massive backfire that blew through the kitchen.

"I'm done, Cas!" Dean's voice echoed in the kitchen.

"Dean, I swear, it wasn't me. I don't know half of the songs." Cas was pleading, and the sound of his voice cracking tore at Charlie's heart. "Dean, I have always been blunt, I have always told you how I feel."

Dean had opened the fridge, grabbing a beer, but he slammed the door shut at Cas' proclamation. "Really? Cause there are a lot of times where you've hidden your feelings!"

"And you're one to talk, Dean Winchester!" Cas yelled back.

Charlie paled.

"Oh yeah, remind me again about my Daddy Issues, Cas. Like you don't have your own!" Dean twisted the cap off his beer and tossed it on the kitchen island where it skipped across and fell on the floor.

"You have more issues than that!" Cas bit back. "Mr. 'My Life Isn't Worth Anything.' Always self-sacrificing. One day we're not going to be able to get you back again."

Charlie curled up in the corner and texted Sam. In a matter of moments, Sam ran into the kitchen.

"What purpose do I have to come back? A coward who can't tell me how he really feels? He has to use music to get his point across." Dean scoffed. "Constant Craving, really, Cas?"

Charlie blushed and looked over to Sam, who was staring at her. He mouthed at her, but she couldn't make out the words. She signed, thanks to her lessons from Eileen, "Dean came storming in, yelling at Cas for being a coward."

"Come clean!" Sam signed back urgently.

"Guys!" Charlie called out. "Dean!"

"Not now, Charlie. Cas needs to come clean." Dean slammed his bottle on the island.

Cas' hands fell to his sides in an open gesture. "Come clean about what, Dean? I did not tamper with the system. I was with you every time the music started, and you admit you didn't hear me say a thing. I didn't do a thing!"

"How else would the system know where we're at?" Dean pointed at Cas. "You figured out how to speak in some Angel-Jedi-Bullshit."

"No, he didn't!" Charlie yelled, putting a stop to their fighting. Cas and Dean turned to face her. "I did it. It was me. I picked the songs, I screwed with the lights. I knew where you were at, cause I looked for you then scampered away." She cringed back, ready for the pair to yell at her.

What she didn't expect was the laughter from the pair.

She looked up and saw Cas walking over to Dean, who was leaning against the island. "What's so funny?"

"Guys?" Sam walked down next to Charlie and stared at the pair. "You two were literally just yelling and screaming at each other. What's going on?"

Dean stood up and wrapped his arm around Cas' waist before kissing him on the cheek. "Combination of revenge and coming clean."

"Revenge?" Charlie looked back and forth between Cas and Dean. "Revenge for what?"

"Charlie, did you not think we wouldn't figure you out?" Cas wrapped his arm behind Dean's back and pulled him in closer. "The timing, the choices, they were too convenient."

Sam snorted out a laugh. "I told you, Charlie."

"Don't act innocent in this, Sammy. I know without a doubt you picked 'Thank You' and 'Can't Fight this Feeling.'" Dean pointed at Sam. "Who's idea was the locked door?"

"Mine," Charlie replied as Sam threw her under the bus with his own pointing gesture.

"Well, hate to break it to you, Kiddo." Dean rested his head on Cas' shoulder. "Cas and I have been together for years."

"Years?" Sam repeated. "Can you get a little more precise on that?"

Cas shrugged in apathy when Dean turned to get his permission. "Since, uh... before Purgatory," Dean confessed.

"Holy shit." Sam leaned against the doorway for support. "I mean, I'm pretty sure a part of me knew, but... Dude, you can't keep things like that secret. How did you manage?"

"We did it to protect each other," Cas replied instead of Dean. "We know that we can be used against the other. It was easier to hide those feelings in public and save them for private."

"Oh my god." Charlie startled in realization. "That's why there was no hesitation in going to Dean's room."

Cas laughed. "To be fair, I was skeptical, especially when the lights were out in his room, and the message came through the automation system." Cas looked and smiled at Dean. "But yes, we usually message the other when the coast is clear."

"So, you're okay with telling us now?" Sam's voice was laced with skepticism. "How do we know you're not fucking with us now?"

"We knew that we would really have to go at each other to sell the performance." Dean clarified. "We made sure that we chose items that we'd be okay with throwing at the other, and we agreed to come clean to make sure you knew that we are okay." Dean stood up straight. "Plus, we figured you two would drop the matchmaking schtick."

Charlie hung her head. "I'm sorry. I pushed you two to this."

"Hey, Kiddo. Look at us."

Charlie lifted her head. 

"Do we look mad, Charlie?" Cas asked.

"No." She shook her head.

"Annoyed, maybe. But we're good. And you know what?" Dean smiled at Charlie before turning to Cas. "I was tired of hiding, anyway." Dean leaned in for a kiss, claiming Cas' lips with his own.

"Just remember Charlie, you brought this on yourself," Sam stated as he backed out of the kitchen and ran to his room.

**Author's Note:**

> Are you into Destiel? Do you use Discord? Are you over the age of 18? Looking for a cool group of people to hang out with? Come join the writers, artists, and other amazing Destiel fans on the [Profound Bond Discord Server](https://discord.gg/profoundbond).


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